Trade Drama Got me confused and frustrated

[golem]

@andrewsrea knows what's up. I traded to get a Rickenbacker bass. He's seen it, did a truss rod adjustment, and helped me with the frets. I promise you Rob knows his sh*t and it was good. He literally has the same bass on long term load for a friend. So even though these basses are tricky to adjust, I 100% guarantee you it was good when it left my house.

I don't play bass that much so I traded on a big forum it for a somewhat beat up, but definitely uncommon PRS Artist with a beautiful one piece burl top. Dude tells me today after he's had it two days that he shipped it to San Diego because it has a twisted neck. To be fair, the picture he shows me does suggest exactly what he says. If you traded me for a $3K bass and it wasn't as described, would you not just ask me to send back the guitar you traded? I'm sitting here not even knowing what to tell the guy. He tells me this shop has a backlog of months. I don't want to hear 3 months from now that they couldn't fix whatever happened to it and now he wants his guitar back. People are weird. In some ways he sounds far too chill, but chill to point of WTF. I want to do right by people and keep them satisfied, but I don't want to wait months to resolve a situation like this. This doesn't even seem rational.

I doubt he's a member of this small forum and I'm just venting because I don't even know what to say to the guy. I'm wondering if the guy might've adjusted it himself and screwed it up. This model is notorious for being hard to adjust.

My bad for playing the trade on a big forum gamble. This might be the last time I play that game.

Update: He left me negative feedback about 3 months after the initial deal without updating me on the situation. Didn't even talk to me about or anything (he has my #).

[tlarson58]

Boy, this is a tricky one. I completely agree with your sentiments.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I agree it sounds like odd behavior. If I have an issue with gear that might end in asking for a refund, I won't even open it up, let alone ship it anywhere to be worked on.

[golem]

Still sitting here annoyed and confused. Not even sure what I can say to a person like that.

[tonebender]

So he is not making any demand for swapping back? He just sent it off for "repair" or "adjustment"? You can always undo the deal, I would not get too worked up about it now. Let us know how it plays out.

[bc rich]

Do you know who has the guitar in San Diego ? Would it be reasonable to ask.

[golem]

Do you know who has the guitar in San Diego ? Would it be reasonable to ask.

https://topgearguitar.com/

[uwmcscott]

That is a bummer for sure. Although if he took the initiative to send it to a shop ( vs just asking to undo the trade ) that would tell me he's serious about the bass. I'd call the shop and ask them for their $.02 on the state of the neck.

While it's probably not the first thing on your "to do" list, how about some pRon of the PRS? Sounds like a cool guitar!

[Partscaster]

IMO, and you might want to check in with trade forum admin, ...when the guy sent it out to a repair shop, instead of first contacting you about issue and/or returning the trade, he finalized the trade.

[golem]

IMO, and you might want to check in with trade forum admin, ...when the guy sent it out to a repair shop, instead of first contacting you about issue and/or returning the trade, he finalized the trade.

It's on The Gear Page. I don't think they administer it like that.

[golem]

Still waiting on him. He claims the shop took a quick look at and it is twisted and then they'll be able to look at it in 3 weeks.
What kind of person thinks "I traded a guitar and it looks like the neck has a twist. Instead of talking to the person I got it in trade from I'll ship it off to another state where I know they have a long backlog and won't hear back for for up to 2-3 months". Even if everything turns out well with this trade, I'm going to make absolutely sure I never have to deal with him again. Who even acts like that was a rational course of action?

[tlarson58]

Weird. Keep us posted.

[tonebender]

Man this deal is getting drawn out. Let us know what happens, if it ever does.

[andrewsrea]

First, Chandler (@golem ), I commend you for your integrity and wanting to keep a spotless reputation. As @Partscaster said, the moment a buyer recognizes the item isn't as described and chooses not to send it back fora refund - the item is theirs and they lose all rights to bellyache about the deal, or infer a blemish on your reputation.

That said, I had it confirmed with my best friend in PA who has seven or more Rickenbacker basses which five are rooted in the V63 '4001' design (the one on my wall is from Rickenbacker's John Hall, himself). They all have necks which ARE NOT on the same plane as the body. Unlike most guitars where the center (top point of the crown) of the fretboard radius is centered with the top of the body, 4001 basses are asymmetrically skewed to the floor when holding them or skewed right when looking down the sight line towards the nut. So in relation to the body plane, the neck is about 5 to 7 degrees right, or if you put a protractor on the deck of the body, about 83 degrees (where a standard guitar would be 90 degrees).

My neighbor Bill who had a 4002 during the 70's also confirmed.

They have two truss rods about 1/2" apart to remedy twists and allow for thinner depth necks. Since that guitar had noticeable fret spouts, I checked for twist and was very judicious with ensuring proper torque between the two truss rods. When I handed that over to you, that neck alignment was picture perfect (also confirmed by Bill who played it for an hour at my house when he was considering buying it). It would have had to have been exposed to humid mist or dunked in water to have twisted in transit.

If this guy ever disses you on that forum, I personally will get an account and let him know this is all about him.

[golem]

Update: He left me negative feedback on The Gear Page yesterday at 4:30 PM. It's slightly less than 3 months since the transaction. He has my cell phone number and never called me about it or texted me an update so I can only assume the shop probably got back to him yesterday and told him something he didn't like.

I don't want to blast him on TGP, but people I've bought/sold/traded things with here want to help me bump my stats by recreating real transactions we've done in the past I would not complain. Honestly a lot of the people who I have transactions with aren't on here much anymore.

James isn't, John isn't, Ziggle I have never seen on this forum, Chad is never on here anymore, Solarpimp I've bought several guitars from.
Rob I've done tons of business with obviously.

[andrewsrea]

Update: He left me negative feedback on The Gear Page yesterday at 4:30 PM. It's slightly less than 3 months since the transaction. He has my cell phone number and never called me about it or texted me an update so I can only assume the shop probably got back to him yesterday and told him something he didn't like.

I don't want to blast him on TGP, but people I've bought/sold/traded things with here want to help me bump my stats by recreating real transactions we've done in the past I would not complain. Honestly a lot of the people who I have transactions with aren't on here much anymore.

James isn't, John isn't, Ziggle I have never seen on this forum, Chad is never on here anymore, Solarpimp I've bought several guitars from.
Rob I've done tons of business with obviously.

Albeit unfair, it is highly unlikely that anyone revers this person's opinion. He is taking out on you that he didn't: 1.) know that the Rickenbacker 4001 necks are purposefully installed skewed to the right compared to the body plane and, 2.) Didn't immediately return the bass. I hope you can cast his opinion to the wind and not let it bother you.

[nomadh]

Do you know who has the guitar in San Diego ? Would it be reasonable to ask.

https://topgearguitar.com/

I'm in san diego but I dont know that shop. I think I may know that exact area. It used to me our music row but most are gone now. I think its more new. Wonder why he shipped it there? If shipping to LA Mesa why not move? He's been around since I was a kid. Maybe since my uncle was young where I 1st heard about him.

Maybe I'll stop by and ask if they have an opinion on the prs?

[golem]

It was the Rickenbacker 4001 I had that he had an issue with @nomadh

I have the PRS, and it wasn't quite as advertised but still sounds great.

[golem]

A few days back he got in back in touch with me again asking me to "do what's right".
He doesn't seem to reflect on the fact that he sent it off to a shop with a few months wait only asking if that was alright after the fact.
He doesn't seem to consider the fact that he left me negative feedback 3 months or so after the transaction without talking to or updating me about what was going on.
Now 4 months into it he tells me the bass is ruined and he wants his PRS back.

Frankly the bass was perfectly fine when I sent it. I have absolutely not idea what's going on with this person but I'm left to assume this guy is either trying to pull some kind of scam or is highly irrational.

[andrewsrea]

A few days back he got in back in touch with me again asking me to "do what's right".
He doesn't seem to reflect on the fact that he sent it off to a shop with a few months wait only asking if that was alright after the fact.
He doesn't seem to consider the fact that he left me negative feedback 3 months or so after the transaction without talking to or updating me about what was going on.
Now 4 months into it he tells me the bass is ruined and he wants his PRS back.

Frankly the bass was perfectly fine when I sent it. I have absolutely not idea what's going on with this person but I'm left to assume this guy is either trying to pull some kind of scam or is highly irrational.

Remind me - was that exchange thru The Gear Page, or Reverb?

[golem]

The Gear Page: @andrewsrea. So far it's just him pestering me in private messages, negative feedback and asking the mods to get involved (they don't get involved with trades/sales). I've let people their return guitars they weren't happy with for any reason on TGP and Reverb before. But they were very prompt, polite, and did so within a day or two.

[doc-knapp]

3 months later? F that!

[tlarson58]

Man, this has been weird from the beginning. It's ironic that it's your reputation on the line at TGP. I agree with @doc-knapp . Stick to your guns.

[tonebender]

Yeah, after that much time and him sending it out to have whatever done to it, that guitar belongs to him. He is jerk for giving you bad feedback and posting anything negative in a thread. Unfortunately that is how it works these days with some people.

[golem]

So several days ago this guy complained to the mods as he'd promised to and which I'd welcomed as I felt they'd likely side with me if they're fair and reasonable. After initially telling me to give the guitar back I asked if they'd like to hear my side. When I did the mod eventually replied:

"You got a point. I'll let the other party know that this case is closed, mainly because he took too long to bring this up to you or TGP for a resolution.

Thank you for your time and explanation.

-Alex"

I can't lie and say I'm happy. I'd rather not have the situation at all but I'm not taking back something that I assume the buyer damaged. There's just something about the buyer's version of events that just doesn't add up to me. Having a mod at least acknowledge that 4+ months isn't a reasonable timeframe to drag this out at least makes me feel like I'm not being entirely unreasonable.